Gencor launches appetite control Slimaluma in US

Gencor Pacific is introducing Slimaluma, an appetite suppressant
extracted from Caralluma Fimbriata for use in dietary
supplements, which it expects to carve its own market niche despite
recent launches of other similar ingredients.

Slimaluma is a patented extract of Caralluma Fimbriata​, a
cactus-like plant that has a long history of use in India, where it
is grown as a vegetable and used as an ingredient in curries and
chutneys. According to Gencor, it was also traditionally used by
local tribes to ward of hunger when going into the hills or woods
for long stretches of time.

Sound familiar? That may be because it is far from the not the
only plant-derived appetite suppressant or satiety ingredient to
enter the fray.

In the last two years there has been considerable interest in
the appetite suppressing properties of another succulent, Hoodia
gordonii​, which is native to Africa's Kalahari desert and has
been used for centuries by the bushmen to ward off hunger.

And a third ingredient, Lipid Nutrition's PinnoThin, is derived
from the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid pinolenic acid which
comes from the seeds of the Korean pine nut tree, Pinus
koraiensis​.

In 2004, Unilever obtained the right to use the patented active
extract of Hoodia, known as P57, in a range of slimming foods in a
deal with UK-based drug developer Phytopharm. Phytopharm had
invested more than $18m researching the active fractions of the
plant, including a clinical trial.

However Hong Kong-based Gencor is not considering Unilever to be
a major competitor in the burgeoning market for appetite
suppressants, since Slimaluma is intended for use in dietary
supplements, whereas Unilever's ingredient is aimed at foods.

"Overall we have our own niches,"​ managing director RV
Venkatesh told NutraIngredients-USA.com. "We can compliment each
other because we don't directly compete."​

Venkatesh admitted that his company is vying for the same market
share as Lipid Nutrition with PinnoThin, but he said: "I think
the market is big enough for both."​

According to Euromonitor International the US accounts for 63
percent of the world slimming products market, worth $4.34bn at
retail. The world market size is estimated to be $6.84bn.

There are also a number of herbal supplement products on the
market containing whole Hoodia in a powdered form, but since the
P57 extract has been found to be the active compound responsible
for its appetite suppressant properties, they are unlikely to be as
effective.

Moreover the popularity of Hoodia gordonii​, combined with
a limited supply from the Kalahari and difficulties in
authenticating the origin of plants, has led to the marketing of
some products (particularly those sold over the Internet), that
either contain very little of the plant or contain a different
variety that does not have the active component.

As for Slimaluma, Gencor has conducted two human clinical trials
and three toxicity studies on Slimaluma, and has obtained a patent
to protected its use of the plant in this way.

The precise mechanism of action is not known, but the company
said: "It is postulated that the pregnane glycosides and perhaps
other constituents in Caralluma fimbriata prevent fat accumulation
via blocking citrate lyase. This would be similar to the mechanisms
proposed for another product from India, Garcinia cambogia."While
plant-derived appetite suppressants have also been used in some
pharmaceutical drugs, they are not regarded as direct competition
for Slimuluma either since they are regulated by FDA as drugs
rather than dietary supplements, and are therefore aimed at a
different sector of the market - patients rather than
consumers.

Ventakesh said that Gencor Pacific will first market Slimaluma
in the US - not only because of the sheer size of the market, but
also because of its trend-setting nature.

"If a product is successful in the US, that transfers to
other markets,"​ he said.

But Venkatesh adds that the US is a nation particularly in need
of weight-loss.

"Obesity and weight are one of the biggest problems in the
US,"​ said Venkatesh, "The quantities of servings in the US
are so big."​

Appetite suppressants can be useful to people who are making an
effort to eat more healthily and control portions. Hunger is a
major factor in causing dieters to break with their regime, so if
that is under control they have a greater chance of sticking with
it. The company is hoping to achieve generally recognized as safe
(GRAS) status in the next few months and says it will use this
paperwork to get novel food status in Europe.

Caralluma Fimbriata's​ historic use as a food meant that
the company did not have to register Slimaluma as a new dietary
ingredient (NDI), a process that is necessary for any ingredient
that was not consumed in the US prior to October 1994.

By the end of this month, there will be 12 consumer products in
the US and Canada containing Slimaluma, with 25 expected by the end
of 2006. Products from Country-Life Vitamins and Genaslim are
already on the market. Gencor is looking to take Slimaluma beyond
the US as soon as possible, said Venkatesh; the company has also
applied for food for specified health use (FOSHU) status in
Japan.